Letter: MH Exhibition & Stampede an integral part of the community, of who Hatters are

By Letter to the Editor on March 6, 2025.

Re: Letter to the editor, published Feb. 11

Dear editor,

Mr. Elder has presented a very narrow and slanted view to the public regarding the proposed project on the city’s grounds by the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede. It is disheartening for the tens of thousands of Stampede volunteers over the past 130-plus years to be branded as having a “lack of accountability and willingness to work collaboratively for the betterment of the community.”

Those volunteers and sponsors gave up a lot of time and money to put on many events that have benefited the whole community.

In Mr. Elder’s letter, he states the project would be “potentially detrimental to the city’s financial health.”

This is about a non-profit organization whose events generate approximately $20 million of economic activity every year. If that’s not a “tangible benefit to the community at large,” I don’t understand what is a benefit.

MHES does receive provincial funding, just the same as other ag societies throughout the province. No ag society, no grant.

MHES does pay the city a dollar a year for rent on the land it uses. The original lease and the fee of one dollar per year was established in January 1948. Correspondence from city clerk WA Keith to Frank Jacob, secretary of MHES, dated July 15, 1948, stated, “At a meeting of Finance Committee at the City Council held July 14, 1948 it was recommended that representatives from both the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede Company and “the Department of National Defence (Army) visit the former P.O.W., Camp in Company with members of the Finance Committee on Wednesday, July 2nd, for the purpose of determining exactly what area is required by the Stampede Company and the army in order that the necessary leases maybe drawn up without further delay.”

It seems the POW camp was acquired for the purpose establishing a new site for the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede company to hold its events on.

The city, along with Cypress County, has an open invitation to attend the information and shareholder meetings held by the board. MHES financials have been filed with the city management.

Mr. Elder complains about the under utilized city assets. Location, Location, Location. To put on an event for two to four thousand people in a facility that is built for 6,000-plus doesn’t work out. I guess that’s why the management group that ran the new arena facility didn’t renew their contract and the city had to take over. We did meet with Mr. Yule when his committee was investigating sites for the new arena; offering the north area as a site and the willingness to operate the facility for the city.

We are located well within the city limits, to move outside the city with some of the facilities would cost multi-millions of dollars. The most successful ag society in Alberta is the Calgary Stampede and look where it’s located, right downtown where it helps generate millions of dollars in economic activity and has helped stabilize the commercial tax base in the area.

We view the MHES as a responsible steward of the city-owned lands, who has built, maintained and operated the facilities and put on events for the community for over 130 years. These facilities are, and have been since the inception of MHES, for the community’s use. For over 130 years, we have grown and adapted to serve the needs and wants of our community. If MHES does cease to exist the buildings and improvements become property of the City of Medicine Hat, as per the lease agreement.

The Esplanade, Co-op Place, Big Marble Go Centre, Medalta, Jazz Fest, Tongue on the Post, MHES and others are all iconic groups that give our community character.

They are all part of the quality of life we offer our citizens in Medicine Hat and surrounding area – helping to attract new residents, business and industries. We all need to work together to help our community grow and flourish in the future.

Time never stands still, we must move forward, or we’ll always be behind.

R.C. Thomson

Past President

MHES

Medicine Hat

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